Only the morning of the second day?

Celitia murmured: "So fast?"

She had thought she would have to endure at least three days in the dungeon.

"What do you mean fast? Did you want to stay in the dungeon for a few more days?"

Sophia wanted to scold Celitia a bit, but seeing the girl's pale complexion, she held back in the end.

"Fortunately, Mom and I learned about your situation that very evening and hurried to Viscount Charles's house to bring you back to the royal palace. Do you know how terrible your condition was at that time? I even suspected that if we had discovered it a few hours later, you might have..."

Recalling the scene from that time, Sophia still felt lingering fear, a suffocating pain rising in her chest.

"That evening?" Celitia really couldn't understand the reason now. "How did you know?"

Sophia answered: "It was actually quite a coincidence. In the evening, I was accompanying Mom on a walk..."

Having been forced to attend Duke Augustus's banquet during the day and deal with those people's false pleasantries for a long time, Sophia's mood was really not good.

Sensing her daughter's irritation, Marianne suggested they go for a walk outside the palace together to see the bustling, lively streets.

The two did a bit of disguising and, without bringing any attendants, quietly slipped out of the palace.

"Mom still particularly loves medical halls," Sophia sighed. "Truly worthy of someone who was once a universally praised physician."

When Marianne was still among the common people, she was a famous doctor known far and wide.

Even after entering the court, Marianne hadn't given up this hobby and would often serve as a court physician herself, treating others.

Out of professional habit, when Marianne went out for walks, she liked to visit the medical halls in the city.

"It's not just for that reason," Marianne smiled. "People's health levels, whether plagues have occurred—medical halls are the places that best reflect these issues."

○

"Sophia, as a ruler, you can't just listen to what those nobles say. You must see with your own eyes."

"Yes, I understand." Sophia nodded seriously.

The mother and daughter chatted casually as they walked into a medical hall, when suddenly they saw a middle-aged woman with an anxious expression rush in after them, heading straight for the counter.

"Excuse me, is Doctor Dalton in? My young miss has fallen seriously ill and urgently needs him to make a house call!"

The apprentice at the counter, accustomed to life and death, looked up at the middle-aged woman with a flat tone: "Mr. Dalton is not in."

The middle-aged woman thought he was looking down on her shabby clothes, being snobbish and unwilling to make house calls, so she hurriedly emphasized:

"Please rest assured, our young miss is the eldest daughter of the Herbert family. We will definitely pay the full consultation fee!"

"It's not about the consultation fee," the apprentice explained. "Mr. Dalton went out on a house call today—"

Before the apprentice could finish speaking, two figures quickly walked up to them and asked in unison: "The Herbert family?!"

This brown-haired middle-aged woman was Rebecca, Luna's mother.

Hearing their words, Rebecca felt that they seemed to know her master or young miss, and couldn't help but look at them both in surprise.

"May I ask who you are...?"

"I'm Lily's friend from the academy, named Sophia."

Sophia completely forgot to mention her identity, her attention focused entirely on what Rebecca had just said, asking urgently: "Lily is sick? What happened?"

Hearing her own young miss's nickname from Sophia's mouth, Rebecca couldn't help but believe her words, her eyes immediately reddening:

"The situation is quite complicated. The young miss is very seriously ill. I must find a doctor to go treat her right now..."

The apprentice at the counter, listening to the three people's conversation, calmly repeated: "I told you, Mr. Dalton is not here. Please go to another place."

"I am a doctor," Marianne suddenly spoke up. "Take me to see her."

"You're a doctor?" Rebecca was stunned.

The silver-gray haired woman before her looked beautiful and delicate at first glance, yet carried a faint dignity of someone who had long held high position.

No matter how you looked at it, she didn't much resemble a doctor.

"My mom is a doctor!" Sophia hurriedly said. "Please trust us and take us there!"

Rebecca hesitated for a moment.

Other medical halls were far from here, and going to find other doctors would take much more time.

Since this girl named "Sophia" was Celitia's friend, she shouldn't harm her, right?

"Please follow me!" Rebecca quickly made her decision.

The three ran all the way back to the Herbert family estate.

The tightly closed main gate opened from within, and Gidi's face appeared in the crack.

"Did you find a doctor, Rebecca?"

Rebecca nodded to Gidi, who carefully observed behind her a few times before quickly opening the door.

"Hurry, go directly to the dungeon," Gidi instructed in a lowered voice. "Whatever you do, don't let Madam discover this!"

Sophia asked in confusion: "Dungeon?"

They had run urgently on the way without time for Rebecca to explain the whole story, so both Sophia and Marianne were full of doubts.

"I'm sorry, I'll explain later," Rebecca said. "Let's hurry over there now!"

Rebecca had pleaded with Charles for a long time and finally managed to get him to relent, allowing Rebecca to go out and find a doctor to treat Celitia.

Although Charles had allowed Lady Herbert's actions, unlike his wife, Charles didn't want Celitia to die in the dungeon.

If such a thing got out, it would damage Charles's reputation.

Roughly understanding the different thoughts of the two masters, Rebecca's actions became increasingly cautious.

Luna was still in confinement, so Gidi volunteered to stay behind and watch for any movement for Rebecca.

Only after confirming that Madam's spies were not around did Gidi quickly let Rebecca rush to the dungeon.

"This way, don't go the wrong direction!"

The four people hurried along and finally crossed the long courtyard, about to reach the dungeon entrance at the back.

Just then, a sharp voice rang out from behind: "What are you all sneaking around doing?!"

"Madam!"

Rebecca was startled and instinctively stepped in front of Marianne, trying to block her.

Gidi quickly stuffed the dungeon key into Sophia's hand and turned back with a fawning smile to explain:

"The... the weather is too cold, so we're running to warm up our bodies..."

Seeing that Marianne and Sophia still intended to go down, Lady Herbert's expression changed dramatically, and she walked over quickly:

"Nonsense! What are you planning to do, and who are those two suspicious people? Tell me everything honestly! Otherwise, I'll have you all arrested right now!!"

"That's... that's..." Rebecca stammered. "They're doctors we invited. Luna was frightened today, so I planned to have a doctor examine her."

"Isn't Luna confined to her own room?"

Lady Herbert let out a cold laugh. "What are you running to the dungeon for? Even when making up lies, there should be some limit!"